Reginald and Lucetta Raynor made a home for their five sons in Warwick and started Raynor’s Shell Service Station in Southampton during a turbulent period in Bermuda’s history. Despite the important part the family played in community affairs and that of the church, it was their perseverance to bring about social change that they are most remembered for.

Co-owner Pamela Raynor says the Raynor family was instrumental in the opening of the first black theatre in Bermuda, as well as the construction of a tennis court and cricket pitch for the Islands’ black youth in the 1950s and 60s.

“They wanted the black community to feel comfortable in their own environment,” she reminisces. “Can you believe black people were not allowed to sit in the main section of the regular movie cinemas and had to sit in the balconies.”

She adds that Raynor’s Shell Service Station was one of the few black-owned businesses in the West End and has remained in the family since, save for a brief period when the elder Mr. Raynor leased it out.

One employee who remembers what the business was like when it first started is part-time assistant head cashier, Coralie Trott, who was only a child when the Raynor family first impacted her life.

Mrs. Trott was a pupil in Lucetta Raynor’s class at Purvis Primary and the two families attended the same church.

It came as no surprise when Mrs. Trott turned 16 and bought her first auxiliary cycle, she returned to Raynor’s Service Station to buy gas.

“I had my KK and I came up here and got my gas because it was the closest one to home,” she recalls.

“The family have been beautiful to me because they’ve known me all my life.”

Mrs. Trott also sang in the choir at the Vernon Temple Church where the elder Raynors taught music and played the organ.

When the current owner, Reginald Raynor Jr. approached her about a year ago and asked her to come on board, she says she jumped at the chance to give something back to the family she had grown to love.

“I love working here and working with beautiful people makes it easier to do your job,” she adds.

During the day Mrs. Trott works “behind the scenes” at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital, but is also a retired Police officer.

“So I see a lot of the people I used to see on my beat,” she chuckles.

This experience as a Police officer comes in handy during her night shift and she warns she won’t put up with any tomfoolery.

However, Mrs. Trott is one of the handful of cashiers at the service station and is joined by head cashier Donna Eve and Carla Hunte and Geraldgene Cann.